This Saturday - Tyrrell and Rousso Races
Steven London
The Tyrrell and Rousso races will be held this Saturday, 14 December 2024.
The first race (the Tyrrell) is a handicapped start where the faster boats must chase down the slower boats. There will be a normal 5-minute countdown start sequence, at which time those will zero handicap (the slowest boats) will start. After that, faster boats will start when the race time reaches their handicap over the next 5-10 minutes. The handicaps will be announced during the briefing on Saturday. The first boat over the finish is the winner.
The second race (the Rousso) is a scratch race, with everyone starting on the same start line with a normal 5-minute countdown sequence. The first ILCA4, ILCA6 and LICA7 across the line are the "finalists" and the overall winner will be determined by applying a yardstick across the three separate classes.
These are once-a-year prestigious events for DBSC that come with perpetual trophies:
Richard Tyrrell Trophy
Richard Tyrrell was one of the early Laser class sailors at DBSC in the 1980s. He was an active member, who had a real presence and was very much liked by everyone. He was instrumental in building a sense of community, for example as one of the instigators of the annual Laser Sailors’ Dinner, and he showed leadership in fundraising activities for much-needed repairs. He continued sailing with the club until his untimely death from asthma in his 40s in 1987. In memoriam, DBSC hosts an annual race in a handicapped chase format that is named after him, and the winner’s name is inscribed each year on the perpetual Richard Tyrrell Trophy.
Mano Rousso Trophy
Mano Rousso was a distinguished former Greek Navy Officer and post-WW2 migrant who lived in Cooper Street, Double Bay. His daughter was a regular Leader sailor at DBSC during the 1980s, and Mano was a generous and well-liked volunteer, taking on the significant hands-on responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of the clubhouse, which he continued until his death in the early 1990s. In memoriam, DBSC hosts an annual race in a massed start scratch format (with a yardstick) that is named after him, and the winner’s name is inscribed each year on the perpetual Mano Rousso Trophy.
